Blank-finishing machine



F. MULLER.

BLANK FINISHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 2. 1916. RENEWED MAY 5. 1920.

1,360,240, v I Patented Nov. 23, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

F. MULLER.

BLANK FINISHING MACHINE.-

APPLICATION FILE-D MAY 2.1916. RENEWED MAY 5. 1920.

Patented Nov. 23, 1920-.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITE TATE-5 riaxnnim cni MttLnnn, or H Mm. 100.. or marr w; 0

PA EN oijn rnorrcur, nioonroi tarieit pr ooNi'rEorIou'r.

ANK-rimm ng C I eg sozao.

To ci'Z KO/807M it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRInnnmoH MiiLLnn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hartford in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, haveinvented certain new and useful 7 Improvements in Blank Finishing li lachines, of which the following is a specification. i i a This invention relates to improvements in blank finishing machines, and has for its ob iect to provide a machine adapted to autoniatically and simultaneously perform multiple operations upon, a blank, such for example as facing, milling, drilling, reaming or threading operations.

In the present embodiment of the invention the machine is adapted to mill certain edges of a small link-blank and at the same time to ream therein two holes for the re ception of connecting elements means of which the link units are held in assembled relation in the chain.

In the drawin s Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation ofthe machine;

Fig. 2 is a sectionaljpla n View of the machine;

Fig. 3 is a rear end elevation oi the machine; a i

Fig. dis a front sectional elevation of the machine;

Fig. 5 is a sectional detail View on the line -5, Fig. 1, looking toward theiront of the machine; j

Fig. 6 is a detail View of the clamp oom-- pensating connection; and h Fig. 7 is detail View of the linkfblank acted upon by the machine.

The machine is adapted to act in succession upon each of a number of blanks delw cred through a chute from a siiit'able'co n taliner. The machine in its preferredeiin bodiment described and shown herein coinprises trains of meehanisml wit: eieotor mechanism adapted'lto remove each blank from the chute; blank positioning mecha IilSIIi; automatic .clainping 'mechanism adapted to clampthe blank against 'Yilo ei'nent; carrier mechanism adapted' to present the blank to the milling and' reamingT'cut- 11ers; the milling and:reamingmechanism,

and oiljetineans fore ecting chips fronitlie reams!" "face baekwardly thereof.

"outward slightly s eei fieatioln orntter Patent. Patented Nov. .23, 13.20. Application filed May 2, 1916, Serial No. 94,868. Renewed May 5, 1920,

Serial N9. 379,180.

The frame of the machine com rises the upright standards A and the bed Rising trom the standards A are two bracket sup ports C, upon the upper horizontal portions of which rest the chute frame D formed with a chute l which communicates at its top with. any suitable container for the blanks. The lower wall 1* of the cliute is formed with a thickened portion (Z, the latter being providedwith a horizontal aperture toreceiVe the shank of ayielding de tent member .0 which is normally pressed beyond the mouth of the chute by means of-a coil spring located within the said horizontal aperture, as shown in Fig. 1. The blanks pass downwardly through the chute from the container until the foremost blank enters the socket f of an ejector F, hereinafter described, .the lower edge of the blank resting upon the beveled top of the stope which thus temporarily holds the said blank in position for ejection into the clamp and its supporting carrier.

a lidingly mounted upon the bed B is the sliding carrier 2, one side wall of the bed be-- ing undercut atBto receive the correspond ingly formed side face of the carrier, a gib l affording a second undercut side wall for the opposite face of the carrier, see Figs. 3 and 4. Thebarrier 2 is formed withthe low'er threaded aperture 6 to receive the threaded shank of roller stud 7, its roller 8 projecting within a peripheral cam slot 9 formed in the cam wheel 10,the latter being fixed upon a rotary shaft 11 journaledin the bearing bosses 12 of the machine frame. Shaft 11 at its rear end carries a worm wheel 13 formed. with peripheral teeth meshingwith aworm 13 (Fig. 3) onftransi erse shaftll, the latter being journaled in suitable bearing bosses l5 projecting from the machine frame. Shaft 14 may be driven frnm any suitable source of power and to that end "has fixed thereona band wheel 1.6. Themainffunction of tliesliding carrier 2 is to properly present the blank to the actionof the Inillingandi'earningcutters and to that end ithas mounted thereon certain clamping mechanisnradapted to receive. clamp; and'finall release; a blank ejected tranchetime];

I wise movement upon the carrier 2 and held in position by means of the gibs 18, the latter being secured to the carrier by the screws 18". In its'retracted position (Fig. 1) the carrier is so disposed that its forward end is in allnement with'the mouth of the chute 1 and slightly to therear of the yielding stop 6 which serves to hold the foremost blank against displacementfrom the socket f of ejector F. The lower face of the slide 17 is cut away at19 to-afford a'clearance space for the presser 20, hinged at 21 upon a base 22 secured to the'carrier 2, the said base and presser being formed with alined sockets to :receive a coiled spring 23, by means of which the presser is normally held against the i lower face of slide 17, but slightly in advance of the slide when the latter is in retracted position. It will thus be seen from inspection ofFig. 1 that downward movement of the ejector F will carry the blank seated in socket downwardly thus acting upon the beveled top of stop 6 to force the latter backward against the ac tion of its spring, the downward movement of the blank continuing until its lower edge .meets presser 20. The said movement of the ejector; takes place at a time-when the pins 24', hereinafter described. have been retracted out of the path of the downwardly moving blank.

The pins 24 are slidably mouuted in parallel apertures formed in theslide 1?, and are so operated that they advance and enter apertures in the blank prior to the upward divergently extending side walls 'to enter the dovetail channel of bearing-member 81 supported between the bracket members C .(Fig. 1)," Slide bar 30 is connected at 3,3, with theupper arm of a rock lever 34; fulcrumed at 35 upon the machine frame, and at; its lower end provided with a roller stud 36 fitted within the cam slot 3? of cam wheel 10. I

Theejector F is slidingly fitted between arallel guide plates 63 supported by bracketframe 65,- secured to the main frame of 1 the Imachine. As herei'nbefore pointed out, the ejector is provided with a socket or countersunk seat 7, and the top of said socket is in line with the top of the chute, as shown in Fig. 1, affording a shoulder at that point. .The pressure of the blanks within the chute will mo ethe lowermost link into the socket 7, so tl it the shoulder at the top thereof will engage the upper edge of the blank. The spring-pressed block 0 located below the chute at its delivery cud will prevent the blank from moving dowuwardly out of position, but as the top of the block is beveled it will ali ord no obstruction to the downward movement of the ejector and the blank carried thereby. The ejector is actuated from worm wheel 13. To this end a cam slot 66 is formed in the wheel and is entered by the roller stud (37 of a rock lever 68 fulcrumed at (l9 upon the map chine frame and at its upper end pivolully connected at T0 with crank arm 71 on shaft '72, the latter extending lougitudiiuill of the machine and having secured thereon. at a point slightly to the rear of the plates o a second crank arm T23, pivotally comm-{ed by screw-stud T4. with the ejector.

i l hen the blank is ejected from the clinic it slightly depresses presser 2i), and the piu=- more t-i'irwardly entering the apertures in the blank and passing beyond into the rcamcr apertures in clamp block r 8, the blank thus bein so held that slide 1?" may advau c to press it against the face of the clamp-lilo h. For this purpose the slide 17 is actuated l.- suitable mechanism through an adjustable connection of such form that adjusimcui may be made to adapt the clamp for blanks of different thickness. The primary actuating member for slide 17 is rock lever 21'.) l) fulcrumed at 410 between arms o. (see Fig. 4) of the depending portion :3 of carrier 2, the said lover 3t being "forked a its upper end to embrace the channeled side faces of a nut 41, the latter being illr'l slight endwise movement within a sorhel formed in the lower tare of 1 ie slide l7, :1 threaded adjusting rod .l-Q being mounlaul within a longitudinal aperture formed in the slide and entering a threaded aperture formed in the nut, the squared cud -12 of the rod projecting roarwardly of the slide and thus in such position that the operator may turn the rod and thus adjust the position of slide 17 relatively to the lever '19. Thus if the rod is turned to more the slide forwardly, the distance between the end thereof and the clamping block at the time of .:lamping will be reduced, and rice verse.

Rock lever 39 is actuated through the following instrumentzilitics: The depending portion 39 of the lever is provided with a roller stud 43 which fits within the cum slot 44* of a segment cam ital fulcrumcd at 45 between the arms 9, 3 of depending carrier extension 2. Segment cam ii is toothed and is engaged by the similarly toothed upper end of a rack bar 4.6, the latter being provided with a friction roller l? littcd within the can. slot 48 of cam wheel 1.

for

Rack bar $6 is mounted to slide cndwise (ill lllll between two parallel guide arms l9 rising vertically from. the base of the machine frame. The rack bar is cut away at 50 to clear shaft ll. in itstwo extreme positions of reciprocation. It will be understood that cam 10 will so control the movements of lever 39 that slide 17 will be held motionless as the ejector moves don'nmu'dly and until the blank is seated upon presserQO and engaged pins 24. Thereupon, lever 39 will be actuated to move theslideforward until the link is firmly clamped between the end of the slideand block 38, the movement of the slide being commensurate with the adjustment of compensating connection tl. as required by the thickness of the blank.

The end of slide 17 and the face of block 38 areso shaped that the edgesk lc, of the link K, illustrated in Fig. 7, are klJOSGCl to the action of two milling cutters when the carrier 52 is bodily moved forward through the action of cam 10. In the present embodiment of theinvention the milling cutformed with gear teeth toengagc gear wheel. tillon shalt til also ournaled 1n bosses 5?) of bra cket M and having fixed thereonat its outer end a band wheel N through which the reamcrs may be driven from any suit able source of power. l

The milling cutters are vertically adjustable relatively .to the machine frame, so that their active positions lfllly lle changed. To this end the depending portion of the bracket frame 54 which supports the millinn; cutter mechzuiism, is termed with an.

an ular projection 54? which apertured to receive an. adjusting bolt 62, the lower portion of the latterbeing threaded. in an aperture formed in a horizontal arm A pro jecting; from the side of one of the stand ards ft. Adjusting bolt is formed with a squared head (52* which may be. manipulated in. adjusting the vertical position of the cutters.

It will be understood that it is desirable to maintain the blank in an oil bath during operation of the cutters, and that the vis- J y of the oil may cansethe chips from the learner to adhere to the faces of the i-laing'iinu' members, tlnisimpeding it 7 'i'nl clamping operation,andthe consequent derangement of the machine. To avoid this, means are provided for forcing the chips "from the cutting edge of the reamer backwardly beyond the rear wall olf clamping; block 38. To this endthe pins 2st are fluted tor aportion of their length and a conduit '77 leads through the slide 17 and com1nunicates witlr thefluted portions of the pins. The conduit 77 is connected with a flexible piping 78 which communicates with any suitable source of oil supply under pressure; Now, during the operation of the reamers a stream of oil under pressure is propelled through the flutes in the pins, through the apertures in the blank and thence-against the reamers andthrough the flutes formed in. the latter and extending back beyond the rear face of clamping-block 38 the said stream of oil compelling the chips to emerge from the rear of the reamcr apertures in block 38.

In the 'ope"ation of the machine the continuously rotating main shaft 11 will rotate cam wheel. and worm wheel iii. worm wheel 18 imparting a downward movement to ejector F at a time when the pins 24tare held in retracted position. When the ejected blank meets and slightly depresses presser 20, cam wheel 10 will act upon lever 34., slide bar 30, and cam plate 29, to impart a forward movement to pins 24;. until the latter enter the apertures in the blank and passbeyond. into the lfztlllcl." apertures in block 38 .thus maintaining the blank in position as theejector rises. and holding; the prcsser slightly depressed; At this poiut the rack bar 4:6 is moved downwardly and slide 17 moves forwardly to carry the blank beyond the presser and against the face of clamping block 38. the slide'then being. held motionless aspins 9.4 are retracted. TlIQIK-EHPOD(11111 wheel in acts upon the carrier 2 moving the latter forwardly until the milling and reaming cutters are placed in. contact with the blank, the forward movement continuing slowly until the operation of the cutters is completed. Then the blank has been finished carrier 9 retracted until the reamers are withdrawn from the blank, and tlierinipon slide 117 is retracted and the blank fails I (lownvardly through opening l? formed in the (jitlllel lllfll thence passes to a suitable receptacle. It has been 'l'ound that the blank has a tendency to stick tothe face or the a slide as the latter is retracted. but as the presser isnow in normal position slightly above the lower edge of the blank, it acts to strip the blank from the slide. And it the blankrsticksxto the face of clamping block 38, the nose of ejector F will eject it as the ejector moves a succeeding blank into clampingposition. A

It will be understood that various modifications may be made in the form and arrangement of the various trains of mecha nism herein described, without departing from the spirit of the invention as expressed in the appended claims. For example the carrier 2 may be held in ii ed position and a feeding movement be imparted to the milling and reaming cutters, this being a mere reversal of the principle of operation.

It will also be understood that the socket f of the ejector and the face of the presser may be so proportioned that a single blank or a plurality of blanks. may be ejected from the chute, clamped in position and presented to the cutters; that the machine is operable without the use of pins 24:; that the blank or blanks may be he! preliminar to the clam yin-9' thereof. be-

tween the lower face of the yielding detent 'member and the top of the presser; that threading cutters, drills or other finishing tools may be substituted for the reamers 56 and milling cutters 5i; and that any suitable means may be provided for adjusting the bracket M. In the present embodiment of the machine the longitudinal adjustment of bracket M may be effected by loosening set screw S, the latter being fitted within slot 63* formed in the bed B, and then bodily moving the bracket to the desired position.

What I claim and desire to secure by Let ters Patent of the United States is 1. r In a machine of the character described, a frame, a cutting tool mounted upon said frame, a second cutting tool angularly disposed relatively to the first cutting tool, means for imparting simultaneous operative movements to said tools, means including a reciprocatory clamping holder mounted upon said frame and adapted to automatica'llyi present angularly related faces of each of successive blanks to the simultaneous action of the cutters, and means for supplying successful blanks to said clamping holder.

2. In a machine of the character described, a frame, a cutting tool and actuating means therefor, a container adapted to hold a plurality of blanks, a damping holder for said blanks, positively acting automatic means adapted to transfer successive blanks from thecontainer to the clamping holder, and means for causing a relative movement between the clamping holder and the cutting tool.

' In a machine ofthe character described, a frame, a cutting tool mounted on said frameandoperating means therefor, a con tainer adapted to hold a plurality of blanks, a blank holder comprising transversely movable yielding faces, and means for automatically transferring successive blanks from the container to the s id blank holder. V

faces between which the blank is held during the cutting operation, one of said faces being formed with a passage for the cutting tool, and the other face being formed with a fluid passage, and means for propelling a stream of fluid through the latter passage and toward the cutting tool.

5. In a machine of the character described, a frame, a cutting tool, a carrier mounted upon said frame and provided with a clamping face. a clamping member mo "able upon the carrier relatively to the clamping face, means for causing a relative movement between the carrier and the cutting tool. a container provided with a month, an ejector formed with a socket in register with the container mouth, and means for reciprocating said ejector.

6. In a machine of the character described. a frame, a cutting tool and actuating means therefor, a carrier mounted on said frame and provided with a clamping face, a clamping member movable relatively to said clamping face, a lever and an actuating member therefor, a compensating block connecting the lever with the clamping memher. and means for adjusting the position of said compensating block relatively to the clamping member.

7. In a machine of the character described, a frame, a cutting tool and actuating means therefor, a carrier mounted on the frame, a clampii'ic' member movable with and relatively to the carrier. a container, means for transferring a blank from the container into register with the clamping member, a pin iarried by the clamping member. and means for retracting the pin during the active movement of the transfer means, and for thereafter projecting said pin.

8. Ina machine of the character described, a frame, a cutting tool and actuating means therefor, a carrier mounted on said frame. a clamping member movable with and relatively to the carrier, actuating means for said clamping member, means for causing a relative movement between the carrier and said cutting tool, a pin carried by the clamping member, and means for retracting said pin when the clamping member moves into active position.

9. In a machine of the character described, a frame, a cutting tool and actuating means therefor, a carrier mounted on said frame. a clamping member movable with and re atively to the carrier, :1 container provided with amouth, a yielding detent member disposed below the mouth of the container, an ejector adapted to transfer a blank from the mouth of the container into register lOO eeann with said clamping member, and a yielding scribed, a frame, a cutting tool and actuating means therefor, a carrier mounted on the frame, a clamping member movable with and relatively to the carrier, a container, means for transferring a blank from the con tainer into register with the clamping member, a pin carried by the clamping member, means for retracting the pin during the active movement of the transfer means and for thereafter projecting said pin, and a yielding presser member adapted to act upon the blank transversely of the said pin.

11. In a machine of the character described, a frame, a cutting tool and actuat ing means therefor, a carrier mounted on said frame and provided with a clamping face formed with an aperture to receive said cutting tool, a clamping member movable relatively to said clamping faceya container, means for transferring a blank from the container into register with the clamping member, and means for causing a relative movement between the carrier and said cut ting tool.

12. In a machine of the character described, a frame, a cutting tool and actuating means therefor, a carrier mounted upon the frame and provided with a clamping face, a clamping member mounted on the carrier for movement relatively to said clamping face, a lever connected to said clamping member, a toothed segment cam operatively connected to the lever, a rack bar engaging said cam, and means for reciprocating said rack bar.

13. In a machine of the character described, a frame including a bed, a cutting tool, a carrier slidably mounted on said bed,

a container supported upon the frame above said carrier, a reciprocatory ejector adapted to automatically transfer successive blanks from the chute to the carrier, and means for causing a relative movement between the carrier and said cutting tool.

14. In a machine of the character described, a frame including a bed, a carrier slidably mounted upon said bed, a container disposed above said bed, an ejector adapted to transfer a blank from the container to the carrier, transversely-extending shafts journaled upon the frame, said shafts adapted to support and actuate independent cutting tools, and means for causing a relative movement betweenthe carrier and said transverse shafts.

15. In a machine of the character described, a frame, a carrier mounted upon said frame, a container disposed above the carrier, an ejector adapted to transfer a blank from the container to the carrler, a

bracket and a shaft joiuii'laled therein, a cutting tool supported upon said shaft, means for causing a relative movement between the carrier and the cutting tool, and means for vertically adjustingthe said bracket upon the frame. a

16. In a machine of the character (lescrihed, a frame, a carrier mounted upon said frz iime, a container disposed above said carrier, an ejector adapted to transfer a blank from the container to the carrier, a bracket, a shaft journaled in said bracket, a cutting tool supported upon said shaft, means for causing a relative movement between the carrier and the cutting tool, and means for longitudinally adjusting said bracket upon the frame.

17. In a machine of the character described, a frame, a' cutting tool mounted upon said frame, and means for imparting operative movements thereto, a container adapted to hold a plurality of apertured blanks, clamping holder, means adapted to transfer successive blanks from the container to theclamping holder, a fluted pin carried by the clamping holder, and means for propelling a stream of fluid through the flutes of the pin and toward the cutting tool.

18. In machine of the character described, a cutting tool, a blank carrier re ciprocable relative to the cutting tool, said carrier having blank clamping means in cluding members having opposing faces, means forcausing a relative movement between said members to clamp a blank, and a pin carried by one of said members and adapted to engage a blank during said relative movement between said members.

19. In a machine of the character described, a cutting tool, a blank carrier reciprocable relative to the cutting tool, said carrier having blank clamping means including members having opposing faces, means for feeding a blank between said faces, a pin carried by one of said members and adapted to engage a blank during the relative movement between said members, and means whereby said pin is retracted during the feeding movement of a blank between said faces. j

20. In a machine of the character described, a frame, a cutting tool and actuating means therefor,a carrier mounted on said frame and provided with a clamping face, a clamping member movable relatively to said clamping face, a lever and actuating means therefor, a compensating connection between said lever and the clamping member, andmeans for adjusting said compensating connection relatively to the clamping member.

21. In a machine of the character de-.

6 r r r 1,360,240

anapertnre into which said tool projects, during movement of the blank carrier t0- said blank carrier having blank clamping Ward said rotary cutting tool.

means including members having opposed In testimony whereof I have hereunto faces, means for causing a relative movesigned my name in the presence of two 5111) 5 ment between said members to clamp a scribing witnesses.

blank a pin carried by one of said members v w 7, 7 V i and in longitudinal alinement with said ap- L RlEDLhICn MULLILL' erture, and adapted to engage a blank dur- \Vitnesses:

ing said relative movement between said E. HELMGKE,

10 members, and means for retracting said pin PAUL H. FRANKE. 

